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Lesson: 17

Orientation:

Contents:

o Definition
o Objective
o Steps in induction program
o Contents of induction program
o Examples of employee induction program
o Need for induction
o Induction program of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA

We must all know that after a candidate joins the firm, he or she goes through the firm’s
orientation program.

Orientation is the process of acquainting new employees with the organization.

Orientation topics range from such basic items as the location of the company cafeteria to
such concerns as various career paths within the firm.

Hence we can say that induction or orientation is the process through which a new
employee is introduced to the job and the organization. In the words of Armstrong,
induction is "the process of receiving and welcoming an employee when he first joins a
company and giving him the basic information he needs to settle down quickly and start
work.

Objectives

Induction serves the following purposes:

Removes fears: A newcomer steps into an organization as a stranger. He is new to the

people, workplace and work environment. He is not very sure about what he is supposed
to do. Induction helps a new employee overcome such fears and perform better on the
job.

It assists him in knowing more about:

The job, its content, policies, rules and regulations.

• The people with whom he is supposed to interact. .

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• The terms and conditions of employment.

b. Creates a good impression: Another purpose of induction is to make the newcomer

feel at home and develop a sense of pride in the organization. Induction helps him to:

Adjust and adapt to new demands of the job.

Get along with people.

Get off to a good start.

Through induction, a new recruit is able to see more clearly as to what he is supposed to
do, how good the colleagues are, how important is the job, etc. He can pose questions and
seek clarifications on issues relating to his job. Induction is a positive step, in the sense; it
leaves a good impression about the company and the people working there in the minds
of new recruits. They begin to take pride in their work and are more committed to their
jobs.

c. Act as a valuable source of information: Induction serves as a valuable source of

information to new recruits. It classifies many things through employee
manuals/handbook. Informal discussions with colleagues may also clear the fog
surrounding certain issues. The basic purpose of induction is to communicate specific job
requirements to the employee, put him at ease and make him feel confident about his
abilities.

Steps In Induction Programme

The HR department may initiate the following steps while organizing the induction
programme:

o Welcome to the organization

o Explain about the company.

o Show the location, department where the new recruit will work. .

o Give the company's manual to the new recruit.

o Provide details about various work groups and the extent of unionism within the
company.

o Give details about pay, benefits, holidays, leave, etc. Emphasize the importance of
attendance or punctuality.

o Explain about future training opportunities and career prospects.

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o Clarify doubts, by encouraging the employee to come out with questions.

o Take the employee on a guided tour of buildings, facilities, etc. Hand him over to
his supervisor.

Content

The areas covered in employee induction programme may be

stated as follows:

Induction Programme: Topics

1. Organisational issues
o History of company
o Names and titles of key executives.
o Employees' title and department.
o Layout of physical facilities
o Probationary period
o Products/services offered
o Overview of production process
o Company policy and rules
o Disciplinary procedures
o Safety steps
o Employees' handbook
2. Employee benefits

o Pay scales, pay days

o Vacations, holidays
o Rest pauses
o Training Avenues
o Counseling
o Insurance, medical, recreation, retirement benefit

3. Introductions

o To supervisors
o To co-workers
o To trainers
o To employee counselor

4. Job duties
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o Job location
o Job tasks
o Job safety needs
o Overview of jobs
o Job objectives
o Relationship with other jobs

Source: Keith Davis, Human Resources, pg 257.

Socialization

Socialization is a process through which a new recruit begins to understand and accept
the values, norms and beliefs held by others in the organization. HR department
representatives help new recruits to internalize the way things are done in the
organization". Orientation helps the newcomers to interact freely with employees
working at various levels and learn behaviors that are acceptable. Through such formal
and informal interaction and discussion, newcomers begin to understand how the
department/ company is run, who holds power and who does not, who is politically active
within the department, how to behave in the company, what is expected of them, etc. In
short, if the new recruits wish to survive and prosper in their new work home, they must
soon come to 'know the ropes'.

Food for thought:

Is there any difference between Induction and Socialisation or can they
be used interchangeably?

Employee Induction Programme: Three Examples

Aptech:

The company takes its new entrants through a structured induction-

training program. The one-day Programme includes a briefing on
the company's market position,
The business it is in, its functioning style, its organizational
structure and its HR policies. The entrants are also familiarized
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with what others do before being deputed to their own

departments. A six-month behavioral training is also offered in
team building, self-development, customer-sensitivity etc. Finally,
the recruits are put through an appraisal process to gauge fitment
and progress.

Maruti Udyog:

The company customizes its initiation programs to suit the profile

of the new recruit. For engineers, the programme is offered in four
parts: (1) familiarize with various functions and meet division
heads (ii) work on shop floor (iii) work at various other
departments (iv) work finally in departments for about 2 months,
where they will eventually work.

Standard Chartered Bank:

The management trainees are picked up from premium B- schools

and undergo introduction training for about 6 months. During this
period, the trainees see me in the various divisions of the bank to
get a holistic view of the bank's operations, and get a chance to
meet each of the bank's business heads. A two-day session
dedicated to team building is also conducted thereafter. After
taking charge of the job, the new recruits have to attend a review
session about the job itself.

Need for Induction

1. When a new employee joins an orgainisation, he is a stranger to the organization

and vice versa. He may feel insecure, shy and nervous in the strange situation. He may
have anxiety because of lack of adequate information about the job, work procedures,
organizational policies and practices, etc. Frustration is likely to develop because of
ambiguity In such a case, induction is needed through which relevant information can be
provided; he is introduced to old employees and to work procedures. All these may
develop confidence in the candidate and he may: start developing positive thinking about
the organisation.

2. Effective induction can minimize the impact of reality shock some new employees
may undergo. Often, freshers join, the organization with very high expectations, which
may be far beyond the reality. When they come across with reality, they often feel
shocked. By proper induction, the newcomers can be made to 'understand the reality 'of
'the situation. Every organisation has some sort of induction programme either formally
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or informally. In large organisations where there are well-developed personnel functions,

often induction programmes are undertaken on formal basis, usually through the
personnel department. In smaller organisations, the immediate superior of the new
employee may do this.

Let us try to understand the process of orientation better by going step by step through
the following orientation programme being followed in “Toyota Motor Manufacturing,
USA”

Orientation (it is called "assimilation") at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA is a case in

point. While it covers traditional topics such as company benefits, it's mostly intended to
socialize new employees, that is, to convert Toyota's new employees to the firm's
ideology of quality, teamwork, personal development, open communication, and mutual
respect. It lasts four days, as follows:

Day One - The first day begins at 6:30 a.m. with an overview of the program, a welcome
to the company, and a discussion of the firm's organization structure and human resource
department by the firm's vice president for human resources. The vice president devotes
about an hour and a half to discussing Toyota history and culture, and about two hours to
employee benefits. Another two hours are then spent discussing Toyota's policies about
the importance of quality and teamwork.

Day Two - The second day starts with about two hours devoted to "communication
training-the Toyota Motor Manufacturing way of listening." Here the importance of
mutual respect, teamwork, and open communication is emphasized. The rest of the day is
then devoted to general orientation issues. These include safety, environmental affairs,
the Toyota production system, and the firm's library.

Day Three - This day also begins with two-and-a-half to three hours devoted to
communication training, in this case "making requests and giving feedback." The rest of
the day is spent covering matters such as Toyota's problem-solving methods, quality
assurance, hazard communications, and safety.

Day Four -. Teamwork is stressed in the morning session. Topics include teamwork
training, Toyota's suggestion system, and the Toyota Team Member Activities
Association. This session also covers what work teams are responsible for and how to
work together as a team. The afternoon specifically covers fire prevention and fire
extinguishers training.

Employees thus complete the four-day orientation/assimilation/socialization process

having been steeped in-and it is hoped converted to-- Toyota's ideology, in particular its
mission of quality and its values of teamwork, kaizen/continuous improvement, and
problem solving. That is a big step toward winning new employees' commitment to
Toyota and its goals and values.
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Summary

After a candidate is selected for employment, he is placed on the job. Initially, the
placement may be on probation, the period of which may range from six months to two
years. After successful completion of the probation period, the candidate may be offered
permanent employment.

Now we know why after the initial placement of the candidate on the job, his induction is
necessary. Induction is a technique by which a new employee is rehabilitated into the
changed surroundings and introduced to the purposes, policies and practices of the
organization, employee's job and working conditions, salary, perks, etc. In other words, it
is the process of introducing the employee to the organization and vice versa.

Induction/ Orientation/
Socialization
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Definition
“Orientation is the process of acquainting
new employees with the organization.
Orientation topics range from such basic
items as the location of the company
cafeteria to such concerns as various
career paths within the firm”

Objectives
• Removes fears
• Creates a good impression
• Act as a valuable source of information
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Content
• Organisational issues
• Employee benefits
• Introductions
• Job duties